INTERVENTION FROM SPACE

Being a basic component of any real estate and a valuable economic resource, the land is also a rather special and expensive commodity, which is getting more popular in Azerbaijan, given that the need for new plots is growing every year, while the total area of lands does not change.

According to the State Committee on Property (SCP), as of the beginning of 2018, the land fund was 8.7 million hectares (56.91% state property, 23.42% municipalities, 19.67% special purposes).

Nothing but a robbery

Given that the population of Azerbaijan has increased by 39% since independence, and more than 1.2 million hectares of land are still under occupation, the government is facing a serious issue of strengthening control over the rational use of lands.

In fact, the joint land fund of Azerbaijan is divided into 7 categories with the largest share (58.54%) being agricultural lands. This is followed by land under forests (8.23%) and only 5% of lands are under settlements, specially protected areas, etc.

Despite a clear demarcation of lands by categories, an acute shortage of plots provokes numerous violations of the law and the seizure of territories for the construction of facilities or even entire residential areas.

Construction companies have become real monsters seizing lands, as the rapid population growth has created another problem - housing. Demand creates supply, and weakened control has led to bacchanalia in the construction sector. Not only were new high-rise buildings built on seized agricultural lands but they also replaced garages, playgrounds, and courtyards.

That's not all. Much has already been written and said about the frustrating situation of Absheron's coastal zone because of such invaders. According to the Committee, the monitoring conducted by employees of the department on illegal use of land along the protective zone of the Caspian Sea (20–50 m wide) has revealed 76 violations, which were subsequently reported to the Ministry of Internal Affairs based on article 188 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. The Criminal Code provides for imprisonment for a period of 7 to 10 years in relation to persons who carry out underground works in areas within 20-50 meters of the protective strip.

In addition, the monitoring also revealed 529 reservoirs for fish breeding, which were created mainly on lands suitable for agricultural activities. As a result, 147 artificial lakes were drained and 100 hectares of land returned to circulation. But even in the remaining 382 bodies of water, the situation is not good, since only 33 of them are natural lakes, and 349 are created for fish farming. At the same time, 298 reservoirs are formed on lands intended for agricultural activity, 37 and 14, respectively, on lands of water and forest funds.

As a result of the monitoring, administrative protocols were drawn up in 188 cases with total fines reaching ₼85,000. Also, the documents on 25 artificial lakes created on illegally seized lands were handed over to law enforcement agencies. The activity of 45 artificial fish reservoirs is under investigation.

The monitoring has also revealed facts of illegal land appropriation at several quarries and sand pits. Officials had to suspend the activities of 250 objects violating the land legislation. Protocols were also drawn up regarding illegal activity of 127 quarries, documents relating to 46 of them were sent to law enforcement agencies considering the unauthorized seizure of the land plot, and the work of another 42 objects is being investigated.

The scale of land seizure and its improper use took a wide range and is observed throughout the country.

Space control

Obviously, eliminating the existing problem is not easy, and, apparently, some monitoring is not enough. Experts are hoping for, so to speak, interference from the “space”: it has been decided to transfer the accounting and control of land use in electronic format using satellite communications.

For example, the Ministry of Agriculture and SCP signed a memorandum of understanding for the joint use of information electronic accounting system for the land registry. During the presentation of this electronic system, it was noted that the online system covers 57 cities and regions of the country, approximately 6.5 million hectares of territory. At present, cadastral works cover 4.6 million hectares and are completed in 24 districts. Measurements were carried out in two thousand settlements, villages and cities. In accordance with the work done, land plots of 2.8 million owners have already been registered.

By the way, the quality of the land will also be reflected in the electronic system of the Land Registry, which will also allow setting the price of land plots. In general, work on the inventory is expected to be completed in 2020.

SCP chairman Kerem Hasanov said that the resources of the Europe-2 low-orbit satellite will be used to obtain operational data on environmental changes to land plots, and it is planned to start similar work in Azercosmos next year. The information received weekly allows monitoring of land changes as a result of mudflows, erosion, etc. According to K. Hasanov, the scientific management of agricultural lands contributes to the establishment of a mechanism to support the agrarian sector and to eliminate the facts of illegal use of land.

“In particular, the information system is provided for agricultural sector. However, in general, it is part of the national information space system. We are planning to cooperate with all state institutions dealing with infrastructure issues such as Azerigaz, Azerenerji, Azersu and so on. The system will provide both quantity and quality  indicators,” K. Hasanov said.

Minister of Agriculture Inam Karimov notes that this system will allow each farmer to choose the purpose the land plot will be used. “One of the main elements of the e-agriculture system is the issuance of subsidies, in which the advantages of this system will also be used,” Karimov said.

Simply put, clear and comprehensive control over land use will contribute to the stabilisation of land shortage in the country before the fertile lands already seized by Armenia are returned to the land fund of Azerbaijan.